<p>Help. I really want a MacBook pro for school next year, but my parents are really set on getting me a PC (think Dell Inspiron – they do come in cool colors…)</p>
<p>I just want to know which one is better for schoolwork and versatility. I’m planning to be a bio major, so I want a computer that’s suitable for doing science labs and whatnot.</p>
<p>try and find out what programs you need, and see what is compatible. Beyond that, Mac has better audio and video software, but PC has right click. Try each one out to see what u like.</p>
<p>MacBooks are really nice if you’re just a casual internet user. Another “good” thing about Macs is that they keep you from playing games ;D</p>
<p>Don’t get Dell Inspiron… They look really cheap imo. If you want a stylish laptop for the best value look into the HP dv5t (15 inch), dv5t (14 inch), and the HDX16t (higher class 16inch). </p>
<p>If you just want a compact and stylish laptop you should consider Sony. The NR series and CR series aren’t very good but I’ve read great views on their smaller models such as the Z series.</p>
<p>If you don’t know how to use a computer, get a mac. osx is simple to use and won’t get ####ed up when you don’t know what you’re doing.</p>
<p>If you do know how to use a computer, get a PC. Mac doesn’t have better audio/video editing software as rsxwheeeee claims, they’re both equal. Linux is even picking up its paces. PCs are cheaper for the same amount of power, and you have easy access to the majority of software (inb4 running bootcamp rofl, just run windows natively please. you know you want to). </p>
<p>If you’re going for a superlight laptop, and want to look professional, there’s no touching the thin X series thinkpads. If you’re looking for something more like a desktop replacement then get on newegg.com, enter a pricerange and find something with the best stats for the price you can afford. Make and model make no difference, they all use the same parts. But, in the end, I’m a thinkpad fan. X series Thinkpads are the de-facto laptop used in the business sector. </p>
<p>Plus, osx runs can run on PCs now since they switched off PPC, so if you get the urge you can still get a better laptop than a macbook for the same price and still run osx alongside windows or linux. </p>
<p>Schoolwork you say? Then it’s really just MS office you need. By the way, there is no beating Excel. Want to get a mac and run Microsoft office on it? Be my guest, but realize the irony. </p>
<p>Just to put things into perspective, at most schools Macs seem to be the end-all laptop to get, but when you look at the top tech schools of the world (MIT, Caltech, Berkley etc.), where most of the students are actually tech savvy, students all use linux/windows. </p>
<p>Before this thread turns into a flamewar, I’m not saying Macs are necessarily inferior, they are just geared towards a different consumer. If you want more bang for your buck, and more versatility, shop around for a nice PC.</p>
<p>In general, Macintosh laptops have problems with Penn wireless. This is not Penn’s fault, but rather Apple’s handicapping of its wireless capabilities.</p>
<p>Otherwise they’re the same. I own a PC.</p>
<p>I believe at least half of Penn owns a Mac. To be honest, it doesn’t really matter. The wireless issues are a known problem that Penn cannot do much about, though.</p>
<p>___, if i may ask in all seriousness, what audio and video editing software do you know of on PC that is better than Pro Tools and Final Cut on Mac? I’ve used FL Studio and Avid on PC, and found them inferior.</p>
<p>I would get a Mac even if you are going to run Windows >50% of the time.</p>
<p>If you’ve actually used a Mac before (REALLY used, not just got on one and said “ew back to windows”), then you’ll know its VASTLY superior.</p>
<p>Unless you ONLY play games, then get a Mac. If you play games occasionally install windows on your MacBook Pro. PC World rated the MacBook Pro as the best windows laptop (yes it sounds funny, but it’s true).</p>
<p>There’s many technical reasons for purchasing a Mac over a PC, but they are usually not very important to the buyer. The most important part to most people is the sex appeal ;)</p>
<p>rsxwheeeeee: first, and this is my fault too, audio should not be included in that. There is no way you can claim audio editing is superior on osx. But, for video, I like how you completely ignore Adobe.</p>
<p>Macs became famous for being very stable, so it became a standard in studio work, but now that it’s not any more stable than windows, it’s closed. If OP isn’t a professional video editor, how is the mac even relevant?</p>
<p>pyn: When you say “vastly superior,” please use the correct adjectives. You said it yourself in your last line. Makes much more sense as “sexier” or “simpler.” </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>lol. Doesn’t it make more sense to pay less for a better pc and install OS X on Windows? Or wait, sorry people like to pay more for a laptop that’s shinier on the outside. By the way, if you’re actually a gamer then you already know a mac is a complete joke. Bootcamp will not suffice. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Backwards statement. Macs aren’t using PPC anymore. HOW IS INTEL ON A MAC DIFFERENT THAN A PC??? Typical Mac-fan statement. You don’t realize the hardware is THE SAME…</p>
<p>Go for the Mac, with my experience, they’re far better.</p>
<p>Top reasons to get a Mac:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>SPEED
Mac OS X starts up and shuts down very quickly – usually less than a minute for start up and a couple of seconds for shutdown. Once you’re started up the Mac OS X is faster than Windows doesn’t really slow over time like Windows. Also, Macs defrag on the fly, unlike Windows, boosting hard drive performance. Windows actually often runs faster on Macs than it does on PCs.</p></li>
<li><p>MAC OS X
Mac OS X comes with a lot of great features such as spotlight, time machine, spaces, expose, etc. Spotlight lets you search for the title or text AND the text WITHIN documents instantly. It’s also a great application launcher. Time machine backs up all of your stuff to any external hard drive incrementally so you never loose anything or can restore to an earlier version. Spaces and expose help with management of open apps and windows. For example Spaces lets you create “virtual desktops” where you can have different windows open… like a term paper in one space and facebook open in another. Mac OS X has so many features that Windows doesn’t have. Also, the next version of Mac OS X (code-named Snow Leopard) due out in early 2009 is supposed to be dedicated to improving performance and speed.</p></li>
<li><p>SOFTWARE
Macs have great software out-of-the-box like iLife (including iPhoto, iMovie, iWeb, GarageBand, and iDVD). And Macs also DON’T come with crapware/bloatware that most PCs come with. In fact, some PC manufacturers actually charge you upwards of $50 to remove this before you get it! Also most software is available for Macs, including Microsoft Office.</p></li>
<li><p>WINDOWS TOO
You can run Windows at full speed if you ever need any special software for class that’s only available on Windows, your clear. Also, most software will be available for macs as well… the exception is games.</p></li>
<li><p>COMPATIBILITY
Macs run Microsoft Office and documents and be transferred easily between Macs and PCs. Also, Macs have better plug-and-play with iPods, cameras, printers, and other third-party devices.</p></li>
<li><p>SECURITY
While viruses on Macs are technically possible, there have been zero known viruses for Mac OS X “in the wild.” I don’t have virus software on my Mac and I’ve never had problems. Also, Macs are generally accepted to be more stable and secure than Windows.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>And a few other nice small things:</p>
<ol>
<li>Mac OS X’s print function as a built-in save-to-PDF function that’s extremely useful.</li>
<li>Sexyness. Chances are you’ll spend a lot of time looking at your computer… might as well have it look good.</li>
<li>Photo Booth… endless hours of entertainment there :-)</li>
</ol>
<p>How do you prove that? My PC takes ~20 seconds to start and become functional. Turn off the user screen and don’t bother with autostart bs. Seconds to shutdown? Who cares… Windows doesn’t slow down after a while as long as you know how to close a program. Your defrag is built in, ours isn’t, but it’s not like it doesn’t exist. Properly configured UltimateDefrag is damn hard to beat and I’ll bet anything OSX’s defrag isn’t as flexible or nearly as efficient. Seeing as how a PC at the same price as a Mac would have much better hardware, I hardly doubt it’s going to run faster through bootcamp. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[ul]
[<em>]Spotlight is called search in Windows. XP’s, Vista’s, and 7’s is comparable. Any third-party (google desktop etc.) is also comparable.
[</em>]Time machine is also known as backing up. Automatic backup is nothing new on Windows.
[<em>]Spaces is virtual desks. Copy pasta from linux and Windows has had that kind of software a lot longer than osx.
[</em>]Expose. See above.
[<em>]“Mac OS X has so many features that Windows doesn’t have.” - haha.
[</em>]And I guess Windows 7 is unknown to you. Build 7000 is all over the internet.
[/ul]</p>
<p>Oh, and uh, have fun paying for your new service pack ( SNOW LEPEORD>?!). Windows doesn’t charge for that.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Windows doesn’t come with crapware/bloatware if you buy a direct copy. If you buy some premade laptop/computer that includes Windows then yes they include random things. But, that’s not how Windows actually comes if you buy it standalone. But, why would you even buy it x.x</p>
<p>Oooo look at all the pretty software! Oh! Instant video chat! mm sorry but us PC users have been doing this long time now on things like, gasp, yahoo and msn. iPhoto? seriously? Maybe Mac users are new to digital photos on computers but Windows reached that stage of evolution ages ago. It seems you think Apple has revolutionized digital media, when in fact, you’re boasting about things that are all old news. </p>
<p>By the way, when it comes to performance for each application. Freeware for Windows is vastly superior to anything on OSX. Don’t believe me? Compare iTunes to anything else. I dare you.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>So, you’re trying to convince people to use Macs instead of Windows yet use Windows as one of your points. How classic. Most software is actually not available cross platform i.e. the reason you even have Bootcamp is to run Windows and run software you can’t find for OSX. Yeah, so when you’re at college and have downtime you can’t play any good games :D. Your buddies across the hall want to play something on LAN? Sorry, you have a mac. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Apple doesn’t need drivers for USB devices? XP had that five years ago. Macs run Microsoft Office. Macs run Microsoft Office. Windows runs Microsoft Office. Why would that be a selling point for a Mac? It’s exactly the same…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The reason there aren’t any viruses is because Mac dug into the Unix family and built up from their code. Also the same reason any other unix based OS has no viruses: The population is too small for it to be of any use. There are plenty of Antiviruses that will keep you safe for Windows and even if you didn’t run one, half a brain will keep you clean. </p>
<p>OSX isn’t any more stable than Windows is. Macs do crash. Most Windows crashes result from third-party software, not from the OS. By the way, Apple.com doesn’t even run their servers on Mac servers, they run it on Solaris because Macs crashe so much. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Mad old on Windows.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sure, but design hinders practicality and performance. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>God ####, this doesn’t stop does it? Webcams and photo editing is new all of a sudden? Way too old.</p>
<hr>
<p>It seems that Apple fans are finally starting to realize that Apple, and in particular, Steve Jobs, doesn’t give a **** about them. This should have been obvious for a long time, but I guess it takes snubbing off Macworld for them to finally start to process such a reality. Now they’re talking about boycotting and other crazy stuff.</p>
<p>I mean seriously, how can you buy products from a man like Steve Jobs? This is the guy who convinced the true genius, Steve Wozniak, to sell his computers with him and cut him in bigtime, even though Wozniak did all the work. This is the same man who sold Wozniak’s Breakout to Atari for thousands of dollars, yet lied about how much they offered and only gave him a couple hundred or so of it. This is a man who berates his employees to the point that he was fired from his own company. So come on, if he would do stuff like this to his own “best friend” and his employees, do you think he honestly gives two ****s about you?</p>
<p>Worst yet, people credit Jobs as being brilliant and the man behind all of Apple’s success, comparing him to great people like Dean Kamen. In reality, he’s a con man. The Apple/Apple II, the iMac, the iPod, the iPhone… none of these things were his inventions. But he uses them to take further advantage of you all my mesmorizing you with more shiny plastics, remaking the same products over and over, until you buy every version. If you want to give him credit for something he actually made, how about for the Apple Lisa?</p>
<p>It’s a sad world when people idolize crooks like Jobs instead of geniuses like Wozniak. Even Bill Gates is a vastly better man, due to the massive amounts of charity work he does for the world. Buying Apple products is like buying from the guy who sells necklaces on the street. Stolen goods, or fakes, you don’t know, but you don’t care, cause you’re easily swayed by his convincing that it’s a good product for a good deal.</p>
<p>fanboys will never realize how little Apple cares.</p>
<p>If Apple cared, they wouldn’t boast their hardware as being superior in every way, and then suddenly change CPUs to the other side, despite the complications to the consumer. This is especially true in the case of the PPC/Intel change, which all boiled down to another case of Steve Jobs having a temper tantrum when IBM was making him look like a ******bag for promising things he couldn’t deliver. The users didn’t matter to him as long as he could burn IBM. They just switched it all around, and expected everyone to buy a new machine or get left behind eventually. If you’ve got money, you can be an Apple fan.</p>
<p>I can’t wait until they drop this s*<em>**ty BSD core they’re using and switch to a Vista kernel for OSX. The fanboys will s</em>*t themselves at first, just like they have at every other major change to the platform, but then Jobs will tell them that everything’s okay and that it will be awesome, and they’ll all fall in line.</p>
<hr>
<p>Bottom line. Windows is cheaper, it’s faster even when cheaper, there’s more software available, there’s much better tech support (broken apple anything? Send it all in to Apple and get charged a f###ton!), you can build your own PC, updates are actually free, there’s thousands of games, there’s two button mouses, broadband is not a problem (as lauke said with Mac’s problems with Penn wireless), Windows (but probably Linux more) is ahead of OS X in any of its software, Microsoft actually cares for its customers and doesn’t leave them behind when they make changes, there’s far better media capability (cccp is god among codecs or media center for actual cross-anything entertainment, whatever), freeware freeware freeware, more peripherals, we have tablets and touchscreens (apple sweared 7 years ago they would never make anything touch -> lol Jobs), Windows manages memory a lot better than OSX, and PCs can be tweaked to your hearts content.</p>
<p>So I’m not particularly technical…only used my home PC for schoolwork, facebook, and photoshop and the last time I gamed, I was probably playing Oregon Trail. </p>
<p>Macs are easier, less viruses (qualifier: the number of viruses targeting Mac is increasing, but its no where near as many as for PC. Get avast! or Norton, anyways) Plus, its sexier. I call mine the ‘Macgasm.’</p>
<p>I hate Pages and iWork so I got Office for Mac, after trying out some open source stuff. I’d recommend the combination; its just easier if you’re doing groupwork with people with PCs. </p>
<p>Personally, I’m a ‘switcher,’ a recent Mac convert, and I really do see the difference. Mac makes the decisions, and lets you get on with your work, while PCs and windows leave to may executive decisions up to the consumer who generally doesn’t know what he’s doing. I’m assuming, since you’re asking our opinions, that you aren’t a big computer geek. :P</p>
<p>Final word: macs are sexier, more user-friendly interface for casual users, and i don’t even think you need Pro. :)</p>
<p>For a casual user who only uses their computer for school work, facebook, email, and other basic things I’d say get a cheap PC. Macs cost a lot more compared to a PC with similar abilities. You don’t need all those fancy applications you’ll never use and you don’t need to spend $1000 on a Macbook. Afraid of viruses? Penn gives you Norton for free while avast! and AVG are online for free. If you avoid sketchy websites and emails, you probably won’t get a virus. Is it worth a few hundred dollars just so you don’t have to run Spybot/Adaware every few weeks to get rid of spyware? If you have the money, by all means get the Mac for the look so you can be cool. Most people I know with Macs just have them because they know 0 about computers and didn’t care about price. I’m a PC user who would never dream of buying a Mac. </p>
<p>I’ve used Macs a bunch at school in computer labs and my friends’. I hate Mac’s interface and find them tougher to use than PCs. I use my friends’ Macs all the time when doing school work or when I’m hanging out with them and want to check my email. I also bum around in the apple store with friends when I’m at home and have nothing better to do. While they look nice, I just feel more comfortable with a PC. I would suggest spending a few hours in a Mac store playing with the computer before buying it. Make sure you’re comfortable with it, or feel that you could be.</p>
<p>Oh, geez. The OP started the good old war again.</p>
<p>OKAY, we all know that Macs are > PCs. We all know that PC > Macs, as well. So drop the argument, we’re never going to stop.</p>
<p>About half of Penn’s IT department, and I work there for work-study, prefer Macs, and the other half prefer PC. I prefer Ubuntu or Fedora, but that’s because I use it as an integrated trading platform.</p>
<p>But there is no question that all of Penn’s IT department prefer PCs when it comes to the Penn wireless settings. Penn does not offer Macs the fantastic wireless that they offer for PCs because Macs are handicapped in terms of wireless. Their wireless card drivers do not allow the Airport to accept incoming packets unless the Airport has “Good” to “Excellent” singal strength.</p>
<p>Penn conveniently assures you that all students living in dorms or anywhere on campus have at least “Fair” signal strength. So that means I get around 300 “My wireless isn’t working” help tickets every WEEK. For every single one of them, I can’t do anything because the worst implementation of UNIX and copy of BSD - Mac OS X, will not let you cooperate!</p>
<p>So save yourself the trouble and get a PC. If you want, you can put an OS X operating system on it.</p>
<p>Oh, and it’s the same problem with iPhones and iPod touches. Wifi will work, but not nearly as well as Windows mobile operating system phones.</p>
<p>Source: I own an iPhone, I’m a senior IT advisor for Penn’s students and admissions department, and I’ve had no problems in wireless with PCs but a hell of a lot with Macs.</p>
<p>For PCs, I insert a CD and boom, the wireless works. It will work for the rest of your life regardless of where you go in Penn.
For Macs, your internet will rarely work if you go from one router access point to the other. Simply because Macs don’t offer proper 802.1x authentication.</p>
<p>Bah humbug ______. I think you’re just bitter you don’t have a mac. I say get a mac, and don’t blast me saying Windows is better, I’ve used Windows for the 16 years of my life and Mac for another 1 and 1/2. Don’t say I don’t know any of the “special” or “customizable” functions of Windows, and all those stupid little addon programs which give you extra functionality because I do, and I used them, they’re honestly crap. OS X is hands down the better OS, and true, there is more software for Windows, but as a general rule for every software there is on Windows there’s a port or a similar program for OS X. And if you have the need to run a Windows only program, just get bootcamp. I don’t know why you say it’s that bad–it’s great IMO. Works for everything I need, which is pretty much FIFA and sopcast. So, honestly, I don’t know why you shouldn’t get a Mac. But then again, for some people it’s too much. In that case get a PC but if you can save up over a few months or something atlesat, I say get a mac.</p>
<p>I find it funny that you expose the virtues of using EVIDENCE to back up your claims yet you don’t do it yourself. So to prove my point:</p>
<p>PROOF that Macs are faster:
</p>
<p>Proof that Macs are not more expensive:
</p>
<p>Let me disclaim that if you’re building your own computer, it’s always going to be cheaper. But almost no one builds custom laptops and desktops aren’t appropriate for college.</p>
<p>
Yes Macs crash. Just not as much in my experience, and when they do, it doesn’t affect the whole OS and all the other applications open.</p>
<p>
Linux (not Windows or Mac OS X) is extremely popular for web servers because it’s generally extremely stable. This is nothing against Macs or PCs because Windows sucks for running a web server too.</p>
<p>
First let me point out that Microsoft Office came out for Macs first. Then let me point out that running Microsoft Office could be a deal breaker for getting a Mac. But because Macs run Microsoft Office, it’s not a deal breaker. So while it’s not a selling point per se, the fact that it’s not a deal breaker matters.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Hardly. All of the applications I use for media are professional: Adobe Design Suite, Aperture, Final Cut, etc. I don’t use iLife. But having experienced teaching my parents how to use computers, I know that iLife makes my job a lot easier. It’s fairly powerful for the average user and it’s intuitive. For most users, that’s all they need to know.</p>
<p>I hate to jump into a Mac vs. PC war, but I really dislike these you-don’t-like-mac-cuz-u-cant-afford-it arguments. </p>
<p>A patched uxtheme.dll will give u access to hundreds of elegant visual styles. I don’t know which addon programs you have tried, but the good ones are certainly not crap. </p>
<p>And also, as a general rule for every software there is on OSX there’s a port or a similar program for windows.</p>
<p>Your bootcamp argument isn’t very convincing either. As “____” said, “Doesn’t it make more sense to pay less for a better pc and install OS X on Windows?”</p>
<p>@icfireball
there are so many flaws with that popular mechanics article i’m not even gonna bother</p>
<p>the linux news article is outdated. Look on dell or hp and you can easily find desktops that have better specs than macs yet still cheaper.</p>
<p>BOTTOM LINE TO THE OP:
don’t consider the arguments of any of us.
If want a mac, go buy a mac. The change is not as dramatic as people think. It’s still just a god damn computer. If you hate it then return it or switch back to windows on your next purchase. </p>
<p>If you want to know which one is better? Go screw yourself.</p>